Railway-tie.



G. LESSIG.

RAILWAY TIE. APPLIGATION TILED N0v.15,1 91s.

Patented June 2, 1914.

AENT @FFICE.

GEORGE LESSIG, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

BAILWAY-TIE Application filed November 15, 1913.

objects to provide a device of this character wherein the longitudinal expansion and con traction Wlll not be commumcated to the rail supports, or so constructed that the rails are retamed in their proper relative position independently of the expansion and contraction of the body of the tie.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a simply constructed tie which is strong and durable and sufficiently yieldablc to prevent damage to the rolling stock passing over the tracks which are supported by the improved device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of improved construction having rail fastening appliances whereby the rails are firmly supported and firmly held from lateral movement, while at the same time readily adj ustable laterally of the road bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide simply constructed rail fastening devices arranged in pairs upon the tie and which are mutually supported longitudi nally of the tie.

Vl ith these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims; and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the in vention Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the improved tie and rail fastener. Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved device with the rail in transverse section. Fig. at is a perspective view of one of the clip devices whereby the rail. receiving member is coupled to the tie. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the rail supporting members detached. Fig. 6 are perspective views of a pair of the rail clips.

Corresponding and like parts are referred Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1914.

Serial No. 801,232.

to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The body of the iinprm'ed tie is preferably built up from a plurality of metal plates represented atlO and superimposed and of the usual length and width of an ordiimry tie, and with a suflicient number of the plates to equal. when combined the total ordinary thickness of the tie. The ordinary tie is about 8 ft. long, 8 in. thick, and 1.0 in. wide and these dimensions will usually be followed, but may be varied as circumstances may require.

The plates 10 are preferably of steel and may be of any suitable thickness, and iiicrcased or decreased in size to correspond to the strains to which they will be subjected when in use. Mounted upon the upper plate of the tie at the ends are rail support ing members. The members 11 and their attachments are precisely alike and the description of one will suffice for both. Each support comprises a metal base member or plate 11 which. preferably corresponds in width to the plate 10 upon which it is disposed and is formed with openings 12-13-14.

The member 11 is preferably constructed of cast iron or like metal which is caused to expand imder change of temperature to a less extent than the steel plates of which the tie constructed. The openings 131 l are separated by a transverse web 15 and the rail represented conventionally at 16 bears over the web 15, so that the openings 1314 are located at each side of the rail as inclicated in Fig. 1. The opening 14 is reduced toward the adjacent end of the member 11, as represented at 17, and the portions of the member 11 at the sides of the reduced portion are further reduced vertically so that webs 18 are produced which are of less thickness than the member 117 The opening 18 is likewise reduced toward the inner end of the plate, as represented at 19, and the portions of the member 11 at the sides of the reduced portions 19 reduced vertically to form webs as shown at 20 of less dimension than the total thickness of the member 11. Formed in the underface of the member 11 is a longitudinally directed channel 21 having an upwardly directed socket 22 at its inner end,

the member 11 being thickened above the channel 21 and its socket 22 to reinforce the member 11 and preventing the presence of the channel and its socket from weakening the member 11.

The tie members 10 are united by clamp members 23 which project at their upper ends through the openings 12, and engaging over the tie members 2-3 are blocks 24 which engage in the opening 12 at the sides of the member 23. At their upper ends the r en bers 23 are provided with overhanging shoulders which bear upon the upper face of the member 11 at the sides of the opening 12. A clamp nut 25 engages each of the members 23at its upper end and bears upon the upper face respectively of the blocks 2%. By this means the members 11 are firmly clamped to the body of the tie. The opening 12 is preferably of greater length than the block 2% so that the member 11 may be adj usted slightly longitudinally of the tie 1Ov Blocks 80' engage respectively in the reduced portions 17-19 of the member 11 and are formed with lateral projections 31 which bear beneath the webs 18-20 and are thus retained in position while at the same time readily removable from the member 11 when moved inwardly until the projections 31 are free from the webs 30. The upper portions of the'blocks 30 are provided with threaded apertures to receive threaded holding members 32 which project over the flanges of the rails 16 and thus hold the latter in position.

Extending between the members 11 of each tie are coupling members 26 2'? pivotally united at their meeting ends as represented at 28 and extending at their outer ends into the channels 21 and with upwardly directed lugs or enlargements 29 engaging in the sockets 22. By this simple means the members 11 are firmly coupled and united and mutually supported in position.

The improved device is designed for use in connection with a metal tie, preferably of steel which is expanded and contracted to a relatively large extent by changes of temperature, this expansion and contraction being generally so great that it seriously afi'ects the gage of the rails, and it is necessary therefore when employing steel for the body of the tie to provide means whereby this ex pansion and contraction will not be communicated to the rails or change their gage and this result is accomplished, as before stated, by forming the supports 11 of a metal, such as a cast iron, which expands and contracts to a less extent than the steel members of the tie, whereby the rails are held in position independently of the ties, or retained in position regardless of the expansion and contraction of the ties.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A railway tie comprising a body formed of a plurality of superimposed members constructed of metal which is capable of relatively great expansion and contraction by changes of temperature rail supports bearing upon said tie body and con structed of metal which expands under changes of temperature to a less extent than the tie body, and means for yieldably connecting said rail supports to said tie body.

2. Jr railway tie comprising a body for .ied of a plurality of superimposed members constructed of metal which is capable oi? relatively great expansion and contraction by changes of temperature, rail supports bearing upon said tie body and con structed of metal which expands under changes of temperature to a less extent than the tie body, means for yieldably connecting said rail supports to said tie body, and means for connecting said rail supports together.

3. A. railway tie comprising a body formed of a plurality of superimposed members constructed of metal which is capable of relatively great expansion and contraction by changes of temperature, rail supports bearing upon said tie body and constructed of metal which expands under changes of temperature to a less extent than the tie body, said rail supports having longitudinally directed slots, and clamp devices engaging said tie body and operating through said slots to yieldably connect said rail supports to said tie body.

l. A railway tie comprising a body formed of metal which is capable of relatively great expansion and contraction by changes of temperature, rail supports spaced apart and bearing upon said tie body and constructed of metal which expands under changes of temperature to a less extent than the tie body, means for yieldably connecting said rail support-s to said tie body, and means for coupling said rail supports, said coupling means having an intermediate joint operating to permit independent vertical movement of the supports.

5. Railway rail supports comprising bodies spaced apart and adapted to bear beneath the rails and provided respectively with longitudinally directed channels in their confronting ends, each channel having an upwardly directed socket at its inner end, means adapted to couple said bodies to a tie, means adapted to couple the rails to said bodies, and coupling members united at their confronting ends and engaging in said channels, each coupling member having an ofiset to engage in one of the channel sockets.

6. The combination with a railway tie, of rail supports spaced apart, means for yieldably connecting said rail supports to said tie, and means for coupling said rail supports, said coupling means being intermedietely jointed to permit independent vertical to permit independent vertical movement of movement of the supports. the supports. 10

7. A railway tie constructed of a plurality In testimony whereof I aflix my signature of superimposed members, rail supports in presence of two Witnesses.

spaced apart, means for yieldably connect GEORGE LESSIG. [1,. s.]

ing said rail supports to said tie, and Witnesses:

means for coupling said rail supports, said GEORGE L. GERI-IART,

coupling means being intermediately jointed WVILLIAM LESSIG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

